Saturday, April 30, 2005


Yahoo! Sports - MLB - Cubs 3, Astros 2
Might be the last time you see something like this, unless these two meet again (and again and again, because both of them look like they could pitch for years to come)

HOUSTON (AP) -- Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens lived up to the hype surrounding the first matchup of 300-game winners in nearly 18 years.

For sure, Maddux will have a very long time to savor this victory.

"Looking back, years from now, it will be a special game,'' said Maddux after outpitching Clemens in the Chicago Cubs' 3-2 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night. ``I was going to do whatever it took tonight to win this one.''

Jeromy Burnitz went 3-for-4, including a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning to send the Cubs to a victory over their bitter NL Central rival that passed them up in the final week for a wild-card berth last season.

Maddux (1-1) got his 306th career win and first since the Cubs' 2004 season-finale against Atlanta. He lasted six innings, giving up two runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk.

Maddux was lifted in the seventh for a pinch-hitter, and Michael Wuertz, Will Ohman and Roberto Novoa combined to pitch two scoreless innings before LaTroy Hawkins pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.

Hmmm. Seems we are pushing our luck on the "LaTroy in the ninth" situation here, Dusty. Better watch it.